Chapter 34
[ 1,016 words ]
The academy wanted them to fear the beasts. Nobody warned them about the humans.
~ Rebel Beast
“What do you think you’re doing?” Karen glared intently at Aria.
Aria lifted a brow. “What do you mean?” Her lips twitched. “Or rather, shouldn’t I be the one asking that p>
Karen’s expression darkened. “Excuse me p>
Aria’s eyes flicked toward the bin overflowing with ruined food.
“What’s the meaning of all this p>
Karen followed her gaze, yet she showed no remorse whatsoever.
“So?” Karen demanded, lifting a brow.
“So?” Aria huffed in disbelief.
She knew an altercation between her and Karen had been inevitable. She simply hadn’t expected it to happen this soon. Or over breakfast.
“You let your group waste food and all you can say is ’so p>
“Ah.” Karen nodded slowly, realization finally dawning on her. “So that’s your problem. I should have known p>
It wasn’t just the wasted food, but Karen’s complete indifference that made the anger bubble inside Aria. But she held herself still.
She would not lose control in front of Karen. Not when that was clearly what the girl wanted.
“The ingredients in that fridge weren’t for you alone,” Aria told her. “Nor were they for your team to experiment with. If you had no idea how to cook, the least you could have done was approach one of the groups that could and make a deal. Everyone wins p>
She gestured around. “Now look at the mess you’ve made p>
But Aria might as well have been lecturing a brick wall because the girl barely reacted.
“You expect me to beg people for food?” Karen actually laughed as though the idea was absurd.
“Yes.” Aria didn’t back down. “If you can’t cook, which is a basic survival skill by the way, then yes. Swallow your pride and ask for help instead of making everyone starve because of your team’s stupidity p>
The kitchen suddenly went quiet. Even some of the girls in the living area had come to see the drama.
“Or Karen drawled. “Since you’re apparently so good at it, maybe you should have woken up early and cooked breakfast for all of us. Don’t you think so, girls?” she looked at her teammates around her who stifled their laughter behind their hands.
All except Phillipa. The girl looked increasingly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking.
Aria felt her jaw tighten. Right now, she was marble and stone, Karen wouldn’t get a reaction out of her.
“However, I understand.” Karen placed a hand on Aria’s shoulder and offered her a patronizing smile.
Aria resisted the urge to throw it off.
“Where I come from, food like that gets fed to the dogs.” She emphasized the last word intentionally. “Which means the girls can experiment all they want if that’s what it takes for them to learn how to make me breakfast. I’m sure the academy has more supplies somewhere p>
Karen’s expression hardened. “And if not, you can always feed everyone once the fridge gets restocked p>
Her face suddenly shifted into a look of mock sympathy. “Oh, but if you’re really that hungry, you can always eat it out of the bin.” She gestured toward the trash can. “I heard that’s how people like you avoid wasting food anyway p>
She added, “You could even send some home to your family. I’m sure they’d appreciate it p>
It was one thing insulting Aria, but it was another getting her family involved.
“Is that so?” Aria’s lips curved to the side. “Why don’t I show you how we poor people do it then p>
Before any of them could predict Aria’s move, she lunged forward and grabbed Karen by the hair. Hard.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Karen screamed as pain shot through her scalp.
But Aria’s face was hard, her mind made up.
She yanked Karen forward and shoved her face straight into the bin.
A gasp rent through the space.
“Karen!” Charlotte screamed hysterically.
Her eyes were wide, unable to believe what she was seeing.
How dare this scum do this to Karen? Did she have any idea who Karen was?
But Aria certainly didn’t care. Not even a little. She tightened her grip and smeared Karen’s face through the mess inside the bin.
“We poor people hardly pick food from the bin because there’s barely enough to waste!” she snarled. “But since rich people love wasting it so much, it’s up to the poor to teach them not to p>
Karen had never suffered a humiliation like this in her entire life. The smell alone was enough to make her gag. Ruined eggs clung to her cheek while something sticky tangled up in her hair. She struggled with everything she had to break free, but Aria was stronger than she was.
“Charlotte!” she managed to scream, and that seemed to snap Charlotte out of it.
With a furious shriek, she rushed toward Aria intent on tearing her away from Karen.
But right at that moment, Brittney burst through the crowd of students gathered around the kitchen.
“Oh no, you don’t p>
She launched herself into the fight without a second thought and grabbed Charlotte by the hair seconds before she could reach Aria.
Thus their own fight began.
Unfortunately, Debbie immediately rushed in to help Charlotte, turning it into a two-against-one fight.
Philippa stood off to the side, conflicted.
Aria had helped her on the bus. But if she didn’t help Karen, the girl would make her life miserable afterwards.
At that same moment, Alek and Trisha arrived too, their jaws dropping at the sight before them.
The kitchen looked like a war zone. Karen was halfway inside a trash bin and Aria looked seconds away from committing a felony.
Charlotte and Debbie were trying to rip Brittney’s hair out.
Trisha groaned mentally. She should have known. Brittney had a knack for finding trouble.
She looked at Alek as if asking what to do.
But the girl saw through the look and merely shrugged.
“Do we have a choice?” she asked. “It’s a team, remember p>
Thus the both of them joined in the fight.
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